Luke Bass, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP, of Colorado State University, shows how to examine a horse’s mouth. Being able to check your horse’s mouth to assess the mucous membranes, look for foreign objects, or evaluate the teeth can help you pinpoint problems. A dark, purple gum color can indicate cause for concern, as can a capillary refill time of more thantwo seconds. Additionally, severe erosions in the tongue or gums can indicate sharp teeth. Proper lighting is helpful, so Bass recommends looking atyour horse’s mouth in the sunlight or using a headlamp in poorly lit areas.